Three people have died after a suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization (WHO) has told the BBC.
One case has been confirmed, with five suspected cases under investigation, it said. One British national aged 69 is in intensive care in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Hantavirus is usually passed to humans from rodents via their urine or faeces. It can cause severe respiratory illness. Rarely, it can be transmitted between people.
16 Comments
Treczoks@lemmy.world · 56 pts · 114d
Cruise Ship and Hantavirus is a combo made in hell.
GreenBeanMachine@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 114d
Treczoks@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 114d
Just the point that three people have died from an infection transferred by rats tells a horrible tale about the hygienic state of the ship. I don't think that you see rats as a passenger on a normal cruise ship. That several people got close enough to those rats to get infected is not a good sign.
WaxRhetorical@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 114d
I would assume the rodents got close enough to the food, rather
TheRealKuni@piefed.social · 7 pts · 114d
Not just rodents, but their feces, IIRC. Which are very small and might not be immediately noticed if not in the open.
silverneedle@lemmy.ca · 23 pts · 114d
Just so people here know, it's unlikely that this will lead to a pandemic or wider outbreak.
NatakuNox@lemmy.world · 18 pts · 114d
And you jinxed it.
finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 114d
... god damn it. We need this shit airborne if we're to get rid of all the people!
girlfreddy@lemmy.ca · 13 pts · 114d
Fyi hantavirus is what killed Gene Hackman's wife.
finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 114d
What a clean ship it must be! Oceanwide Expeditions must be proud.
Elilol@fedinsfw.app · 11 pts · 114d
Makhno@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 114d
They regularly stop at ports. Could've come from several sources
borovicka@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 114d
This one usually sails in Antarctica, and it was going from Patagonia to St Helena - I don't think it was regularly stopping at ports
CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 114d
The infected and/or dead.
SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 8 pts · 113d
This is from mouse and rat shit in the food.
Enjoy your vacation! All you can eat!
Spacehooks@reddthat.com · 7 pts · 114d
Cruise ships make me wonder about if this could happen on colony ships.
FauxPseudo@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 114d
There goes my plans for a cruise of the Four Corners area.
CobraChicken3000@lemmy.ca · -2 pts · 114d
I'd rather take my chances with the sharks and hypothermia.